Box Score Winnipeg, MB – The Manitoba Bisons faced the Calgary Dinos for their second game of men's basketball action at Investors Group Athletic Centre on Saturday, Nov. 14. The Dinos split the weekend by taking an early lead and holding it for most of the game—finishing with a 90-87 win in overtime. Calgary now sits at 3-1 for the season, while Manitoba is at 2-2. After bringing their first matchup to overtime, both teams came out with something to prove. Neither team took a commanding lead at any time throughout the match. And despite their best efforts they ended up taking their second game to overtime, where Calgary narrowly outscored the Bisons to take the win.
"They're a very good team and they competed very hard," said Bison Head Coach
Kirby Schepp about the visiting Dinos. "We struggled finishing plays a little bit."
The first quarter started out as a seesaw match with both teams trading the lead. Calgary started to create some distance following a three-pointer by guard Josh Owen-Thomas. He would score another three before the quarter ended to give his team a 22-16 lead.
The Bisons, led by guard
AJ Basi, outscored the visiting Dinos in the second quarter—narrowing the lead to 3 points at the half. Basi led scoring for the half with 13 points. It was 37-34 for the Dinos at halftime.
The Dinos came out swinging in the third, widening their lead to nine points before the Bisons fought their way back. A give-and-go from
Justus Alleyn to Basi tied the game at 58, but Calgary guard Thomas Cooper scored a three-point buzzer-beater to give his team a 61-58 lead heading into the fourth.
Basi had five three-pointers going into the fourth, and he added two more to that tally by the end of the quarter. Manitoba's offense, led by his shooting and post
Wyatt Anders' rebounding, gave the home team the lead for the first time in the half. From there, the lead switched hands many times and ended up in a tie.
Overtime saw Calgary outscore the Bisons 9-6 to take the 90-87 win.
Manitoba's Basi led the game with 32 points—including seven three-pointers. Cooper led Calgary with 23. Both teams had impressive rebounding, with 52 for the home team and 62 for the Dinos.
Anders led the game with 13 rebounds. Manitoba's next game is against the University of Alberta on Nov. 20, while Calgary's is against the University of Victoria next weekend.
